Plini - Handmade Cities (2016)^{Release ID: 4695}

I have strayed into unchartered waters by drifting into The Infinite feature release and I feel I may be about to alienate the clan residents somewhat with my attempt to review this release, but I am here now so might as well use the rope in my hand.  I feel that in listening to Handmade Cities that I have just watched an eighties film were the protagonist has just overcome great evil (or maybe a serial killer) and I am revelling in the joy of the end credits having somehow missed the whole film.  Sarcastic comment over, I promise.

If I focus on the talent required to make this album then I cannot failed to be impressed.  It might not be my bag at all but despite there being more than one "WTF" moment for me, I could not quite bring myself to turn it off.  Intrigue got the better of me even though I am not a fan of instrumental tracks (let alone full releases that are all instrumental tracks).  It kind of reminded me of a Joe Satriani record I listened to years ago which although inoffensive never held my interest enough for me to ever explore it enough to truly get to grips with it.  I guess that I find Plini to be decent enough background music and nothing more.  Occasionally it does something interesting as it chops away at the aether around me enough to break through whatever it is I am focusing on to remind me that it is still there.

Overall, I find Handmade Cities just to be too safe a record for my extreme tastes, and whilst I acknowledge its merits I am coloured a dull, pastel shade by it.  If I had the patience (not something that I have vast stocks of) then I would perhaps revisit over the coming days but I have to get my head around Spheres and that Parkcrest record yet as part of the monthly reviews and at least one of those has got me ruffled already this month so I feel they will be the focus of my attentions for the coming days instead.

I've been aware of Plini's existence for a long time now given that he hails from my home town of Sydney although I've never gotten around to giving any of his records a spin until now & I can honestly say that I've been very impressed with the experience too. The dude not only has chops to burn but he also understands the value of quality song-writing. What we have here is a combination of djenty progressive metal, artsy progressive rock & experimental jazz fusion (three styles that offer a lot of appeal for me personally), all bundled up into your classic late 80's instrumental guitar virtuoso style package. Plini wears his influences on his sleeve as I can easily pick up elements of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth & Al Di Meola in his sound however he still manages to give his solos his own personal touch as well. The thing that really dazzles me is his restraint & his stunning use of phrasing. This is certainly NOT your showiest guitar shredder record & that's a credit to Plini's understanding of what makes good music, something he's likely learnt from Satriani's philosophies on composition. He sounds like he's in total control at all times & there's not a note that's played without purpose & conviction. The simpler Satriani-esque melodies are definitely the highlight for me here, along with the more stripped back solos where Plini can be more emotive & expressive. Where he starts to lose me a bit is when he ventures into that quirky & joyous Frank Zappa-inspired territory that Steve Vai has so often made his own in the past. It all gets a little too arty-fartsy for my taste once things head in that pleasantly unintimidating early 80's jazz fusion direction but I don't ever feel like pressing skip because the promise of something more interesting is always only a few moments away.

Overall I'd suggest that "Handmade Cities" is a really solid example of the instrumental guitar record & has enough of a point of difference to represent a fresh take. What it lacks though is those one or two standout tracks that can elevate a "very solid" record to an "outstanding" one but you get the feeling that Plini has that in him on the evidence here & he may have already delivered on that potential for all I know.

For fans of Liquid Tension Experiment, Joe Satriani & Steve Vai.

I've been enjoying progressive metal for nearly 8 years now, and nowadays I'm changing my focus from the melodic past to a heavier future. Despite my attempt to revisit said melodic past, it ultimately hasn't worked as greatly as I wanted it to be and I ended up moving away from a big chunk of melodic bands. That includes instrumental bands Animals as Leaders and Liquid Tension Experiment. However, one artist I don't plan on letting go any time soon is Australian guitarist Plini!

Reviving progressive rock/metal in a djent-ish yet melodic wave, Plini has unleashed a calming storm from his own bedroom. I wish I could do that! Handmade Cities marks his full-length debut after several EPs, displaying his astonishing writing ability.

"Electric Sunrise" opens the album with incredible strength, starting with a catchy rhythm before the guitars rise. The title track is a solid mix of funk, djent, and progressive rock with immaculate drum breakdowns. It's well-known for the guitar rhythm during its solo being plagiarized for that of the guitar solo in American pop singer Doja Cat's 2020 metal remix of "Say So". Despite the slight controversy, the original solo at the 3 and a half minute mark is so melodic.

Shortly after, "Inhale" starts slow and mystical before it gets heavier. Next track "Every Piece Matters" has me slightly worried that the sort of generic soloing and plodding rhythm would detract the album's perfection, but the funky fills make up for it, and so does the anthemic chanting towards the end, the closest this album has to vocals!

Relatively, "Pastures" is a necessary pause in the intensity of the earlier music. Then we have the splendid expansion of sound near the end "Here We Are Again", which works awesomely despite its short length. The closer "Cascade" can be considered the climax of the album. However, it's as scatterbrained as the cover art, so it's not really a satisfying way to end, though keeping the album's perfect score intact once again.

Does curiosity pay off when you hear Plini expanding his progressive comfort zone? Yes, while it's necessary to not sound too forced or stagnant in some places. But in the end, we have absolute true melodic instrumental prog-rock/metal! I would give this album just 96% with some slight fat needing trimming, but he's still at his very strongest!

Favorites: "Electric Sunrise", "Handmade Cities", "Pastures", "Here We Are Again"